Magdalen Berns vs. transgender people

Magdalen Berns was a British anti-transgender activist.

Background

Berns was born May 8, 1983 in London to parents who were involved in communist activism. They split up soon after Berns was born.

Berns attended Hampstead School in Camden, London. After working as a sound engineer and computer programmer as a young adult, Berns returned to college, making early forays into anti-drag and anti-trans activism. Berns earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Edinburgh in 2016.

Berns died from brain cancer on September 13, 2019 at age 36 in Edinburgh.

Anti-transgender activism

Berns was a sex segregationist and a trans-exclusionary lesbian. Berns was opposed to the idea that a lesbian can date a trans woman who had not had bottom surgery, saying “There is no such thing as a lesbian with a penis.” Berns also opposed gender self-identification and worked to change Scotland’s laws around it. Berns also opposed value neutral terms like sex assigned at birth:

“You don’t get ‘assigned’ reproductive organs … males are defined by their biological sex organs. Likewise, homosexuals are people who are attracted to the same biological sex.”

Berns compared trans women to “blackface actors.” Berns often said, “Trans women are men” and described trans activism as a “men’s rights movement.”

Berns attacked a number of trans inclusive organizations, including LGBT charity Stonewall.

Berns co-founded the non-profit organization For Women Scotland in 2018. Their goal was to advocate for sex-based rights, maintaining the remaining sex-segregated institutions like bathrooms, sports, children’s organizations, and prisons.

In 2019, British author and anti-trans activist J.K. Rowling helped raise Berns’ profile. After Berns died, Rowling revealed that they had spoken directly. Rowling called Berns “an immensely brave young feminist and lesbian” and “a great believer in the importance of biological sex [who] didn’t believe lesbians should be called bigots for not dating trans women with penises.”

Media

Caelan Conrad and Amanda Hootman (30 July 2024). Magdalen Berns: Your Favorite TERF’s Favorite TERF. Respect The Dead https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Bc9jkJU96Q

Kathleen Stock and Julie Bindel (2 February 2024). Episode 12 FREE: being a young gender-critical feminist. The Lesbian Project Podcast https://www.thelesbianprojectpod.com/p/episode-12-free-being-a-young-gender

“E” and “M” (1 March 2021). Ep12: A Magdalen Berns Night Supper- Transphobia in Scotland. Blood and Terf Podcast

Graham Linehan (13 September 2020). Remembering Magdalen with Elizabeth Berns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrrsxbwyvdU

Nicole Jones, Kathleen Stock, Julie Bindel (10 September 2020). Gender Ideology. The State Media https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zkc4P0rpI4

(25 September 2020). 9. Well, what a week – Dedicated to Magdalen Berns The Speak Up For Women Podcast

Julia Long (21 September 2016) Thinking Differently – 09 Magdalen Berns https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWSjAFYiF9U

References

Carr, Stewart (21 January 2023). The lesbian who launched 1,000 feminists: Story of same sex rights campaigner whose work inspired JK Rowling’s activism. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11568569/Tragic-story-feminist-campaigner-work-inspired-JK-Rowlings-activism.html

McGowan, Michael (14 April 2022). NSW Liberal candidate likens anti-trans activism to opposing the Holocaust. The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/14/nsw-liberal-candidate-likens-anti-trans-activism-to-opposing-the-holocaust

Bindel, Julie (2021). Feminism for Women: The Real Route to Liberation. Hachette UK. p. 177. ISBN 978-1-4721-3260-4. https://books.google.com/books?id=py6cDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT177

Mos-Shogbamimu, Shola (2021). This is Why I Resist: Don’t Define My Black Identity. Headline Publishing Group. pp. 140–141. ISBN 978-1-4722-8079-4.

Joaquina (2 January 2021). Transphobia and Antisemitism. The Social Review https://www.thesocialreview.co.uk/2021/01/02/transphobia-and-antisemitism/

Andrews, Penny (20 November 2020). Choose your fighter: Loyalty and fandom in the free speech culture wars. Manchester University Press. p. 259. ISBN 978-1-5261-5255-8 –

Hyland, Jennifer (6 September 2020). Women’s rights campaigners ‘living in fear of trans attack’ after vile abuse directed at group. Daily Record https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/womens-rights-campaigners-living-fear-22635235

Staff report (3 July 2020). Permanently suspended: How Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan has become the ‘most hated man’ on the internet. Irish Independent. https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/permanently-suspended-how-father-ted-co-creator-graham-linehan-has-become-the-most-hated-man-on-the-internet-39336272.html

Fordy, Tom (29 June 2020). How did Graham Linehan, the creator of Father Ted, become the most hated man on the internet? The Daily Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/did-father-ted-creator-graham-linehan-become-hated-man-internet/

Rowling, J.K. (10 June 2020). J.K. Rowling writes about her reasons for speaking out on sex and gender issues. JKRowling.com https://www.jkrowling.com/opinions/j-k-rowling-writes-about-her-reasons-for-speaking-out-on-sex-and-gender-issues/

Jack, Malvern (11 June 2020). JK Rowling details ‘scars of abuse’ in heartfelt riposte to activists. The Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/jk-rowling-details-scars-of-abuse-in-heartfelt-riposte-to-activists-lcrp96q6j

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Licea, Melkorka (10 June 2020). J.K. Rowling defends controversial trans comments in lengthy essay. New York Post https://nypost.com/2020/06/10/j-k-rowling-defends-her-controversial-trans-comments-in-lengthy-essay/amp/

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Robertson, Julia Diana (13 October 2019). Mourning the loss of lesbian feminist leader Magdalen Berns. The Velvet Chronicle https://thevelvetchronicle.com/mourning-loss-of-lesbian-feminist-magdalen-berns/

McCarty, Meghan (13 September 2019). What’s Current: Lesbian feminist shero Magdalen Berns passes away at 36. Feminist Current https://www.feministcurrent.com/2019/09/13/whats-current-lesbian-feminist-shero-magdalen-berns-passes-away-at-36/

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Rhodes, Mandy (26 August 2019). The Scottish Government’s clumsy attempts to reform the Gender Recognition Act have inadvertently opened a hornet’s nest. Holyrood https://www.holyrood.com/editors-column/view,the-scottish-governments-clumsy-attempts-to-reform-the-gender-recognition-a_10717.htm

Smith-Engelhardt, Joe (28 June 2019). J.K. Rowling faces backlash for allegedly displaying transphobic behaviour. Alternative Press https://www.altpress.com/news/j-k-rowling-transphobic-behavior/

Maurice, Emma (25 June 2019). JK Rowling under fire for following a ‘proud transphobe’ on Twitter. PinkNews https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/06/25/jk-rowling-under-fire-following-transphobe-twitter/

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